The last few weeks have been pretty devastating because Charlie has not been well. Before I go into details, I want to be clear that he is doing OK, but he is officially a geriatric coyote.
A few weeks ago, his eating habits and demeanor changed drastically, and almost overnight. He got really picky about food and has been eating far less than usual. This time of year, he tends to eat a ton – anything and everything – in preparation for winter. His appetite dropped off and his preferences vary daily. Some days, he only eats raw liver. Some days, only raw eggs, Some days, only raw hamburger. Some days he’ll eat cooked hamburger and I can sneak in a healthy dose of my home-rendered tallow and super-concentrated bone broth. There were a few bad days where he wasn’t eating at all.
When this began, he stopped wanting to be pet and cuddled, and his posture and movements changed. He moved more slowly and stiffly. I interpreted all these signs as signs of pain—I just didn’t know what was causing the pain. I’ve been consulting with two vets and they suggested the three likely causes were cancer, organ failure, or joint issues/arthritis.
I chose not to run blood tests because of how stressful that would be on Charlie. I don’t know how to draw blood, so the vet (a stranger) would have to do it, and Charlie would have to be sedated for the blood draw. And if tests showed cancer or organ failure, there’s not much to be done in response. It just didn’t seem worth it. While organ failure can present with gradual symptoms in domestic dogs, my vet said that cats typically compensate until they go off the proverbial cliff and suspected the same might be true of wild canines, since this scenario matched Charlie’s signs—there was nothing gradual about the onset.
It was so sudden I wondered about poison or if it was a result of him eating a gigantic female carpenter bee. In early September, there was one in the house (these bees are huge – bigger than my thumb) and I was trying to catch it in a glass to move it outside. It kept flying away when I got close and then Charlie got in on the action, caught her in midair, and ate her. The females sting, but he showed no adverse reactions to eating the bee, and this took place almost two weeks before his decline, and he eats scorpions with no ill effect, so…?
And so we decided to treat for arthritis, since that could be done with pills hidden in food and with a low risk of side effects even if his malaise was not arthritis. But he had a horrible reaction to the first dose of prednisone. This is very unusual. He fell asleep immediately and was completely out of it for almost 24 hours (corresponding with the time it takes for the medication to metabolize out of his system). It seemed to make him really dizzy—the few times he did get up, he was very wobbly and off balance. Thankfully, that has resolved itself and I won’t be giving him more prednisone.
After observing and recording his signs and symptoms for the past few weeks, I do think it’s most likely a skeletal/joint issue in his hips or spine. Probably something that was developing over years unbeknownst to me and gradually enough for Charlie to completely compensate and hide it, and which finally “went out” one day.
He doesn’t act sick—his eyes are bright, he sings multiple times a day (other than the prednisone day), and he’s still very social and alert. He’s letting me pet him again. He’s lost weight but he’s eating enough. We’ve made changes to his environment to accommodate his decreased mobility, and I’ll be exploring gentle pain relief options.
I’ve decided to forego diagnostics for arthritis and invasive treatment—having x-rays and surgery would be far more stressful and painful for Charlie than whatever he is dealing with right now. X-rays would require total sedation; recuperating from surgery and wearing a cone would make him unfathomably miserable.
Every decision I make is with Charlie’s quality of life in mind. Quality of life and length of life do not always go hand in hand. This has been so incredibly hard….sometimes I feel really hopeful and sometimes I am a wreck. Your love and prayers are so appreciated—we both feel them, this I know is true! If you’ve cared for an arthritic dog and would like to share your experience/thoughts/tips, I’d love to hear. Shall I do a weekly Charlie update going forward?
one year ago:
Gilded
two years ago:
Kissable
three years ago:
Little Coyote On The Prairie
four years ago:
To The Moon And Back
five years ago:
Crazy Love
six years ago:
In Those Intervals
seven years ago:
Defined
eight years ago:
Soft Smile
nine years ago:
Shock And Maw
ten years ago:
Legs & Angles
eleven years ago:
Uh Oh, Incoming….
twelve years ago:
New Bling
September 18th, 2023 at 4:47 am
|Fashion is more than about just the clothing and accessories. These people fail to understand that bad hair can very easily ruin a great outfit. Make sure you keep your hair looking at its best and use the best products that you can afford to do this.
March 19th, 2024 at 4:54 am
Regardless of your age, you desire to look wonderful. The proper attire can attract attention, garner respect, and even improve your self-esteem. Some things in fashion always stay true, while there are always new things coming around. To discover some handy hints, read this article.
April 8th, 2024 at 10:20 am
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August 30th, 2024 at 12:43 pm
{When wearing sheer clothes, make sure the sheer parts are in the right areas. You never want to wear something that is see-through in your private areas, as this gives off the appearance of being trashy and not classy at all.
September 6th, 2024 at 1:49 am
}{Before getting ready to throw out your beauty products, use every last ounce of it. For a products that come in tubes, think about using a squeezer that is made for toothpaste. To get the last drops of bottled products, store them at an angle, or even upside-down. It’s also sometimes helpful to remove the cap completely. This can save you money.
September 6th, 2024 at 2:11 am
}{Haircare products which offer moisturizer are the best to use on hair which goes frizzy on a humid day. The moisture acts as a protective barrier over the cuticle and can keep your hair looking sleek. Avoid the ingredients wheat or rice that are found in many volumizing products.
September 30th, 2024 at 10:28 am
|When packing your beauty kit, be careful you don’t over pack with makeup. Choose things that you are drawn to but that also fit the tone of the season. Keep in mind looks for both nighttime and daytime wear. Just as with numerous other products, makeup can turn sour once it is opened. Bacteria can also form over time.
September 30th, 2024 at 10:32 am
|You are one-of-a-kind, so your look should be, too. There are many people that follow their own sense of style, but those with a sense of originality are those with who create their own style. To pull this off yourself, you must be comfortable enough to do so. Once you decide to do this, you are probably going to enjoy all the compliments you receive.
September 30th, 2024 at 10:50 am
|You do not need to have too much makeup in your kit. Pick the best items for each season to keep in your beauty kit. Think about what you need for your day look and your evening look. Once you open makeup, it can go bad. Germs can even grow on it if it is just sitting there.
November 21st, 2024 at 11:52 pm
|Wear darker blouses and pants if you want to appear slimmer. Dark colors help emphasize your good parts and tone down the overweight extras you don’t want people to notice. You should wear skirts with elastic waistbands if you are concerned about comfort.
November 22nd, 2024 at 12:07 am
}{Create a unique fashion style of your own. Try to be as unique as possible, so that you do not blend in with the crowd. It is up to individuals sometimes to create a style that people can appreciate and that others will follow.
December 6th, 2024 at 7:09 am
}{Haircare products which offer moisturizer are the best to use on hair which goes frizzy on a humid day. The moisture acts as a protective barrier over the cuticle and can keep your hair looking sleek. Avoid the ingredients wheat or rice that are found in many volumizing products.
December 27th, 2024 at 2:06 am
|Do not buy your clothing based strictly on how good the sale is. If the item doesn’t go with anything your currently own or it doesn’t fit well, it isn’t worth the price, no matter how much of a bargain you perceive it to be. It will be ignored as it takes up space in your closet.
December 27th, 2024 at 2:20 am
|Drying your hair off with a basic bath towel may cause your hair to frizz up, so go with another drying option. It will damage and frizz out your hair. Try wrapping it in the towel and pushing it to absorb the moisture instead. When you are satisfied with the results, unwrap it and brush the hair with a comb.
December 27th, 2024 at 2:40 am
}{Don’t follow a trend just because it’s “in.” What looks amazing for a runway model might not look great on you. Follow your tastes, not whatever flavor is popular in the most recent fashion magazine. You are going to want to go with your gut on this. You won’t be led down the wrong path.
January 24th, 2025 at 5:24 am
|Find conditioner that can help you with your hair if it frizzes. This will put a protective layer over the cuticle of your hair, keeping it from taking in too much moisture. Be sure to stay away from “volumizing” products too since they have wheat and rice in them.
January 24th, 2025 at 5:41 am
|Do not buy your clothing based strictly on how good the sale is. If the item doesn’t go with anything your currently own or it doesn’t fit well, it isn’t worth the price, no matter how much of a bargain you perceive it to be. It will be ignored as it takes up space in your closet.